This residence is built on 40 desert acres, some 60 miles southeast of Tucson, AZ. Oriented towards the Dragoon Mountains, the site lies beneath “Cochise Stronghold” where the eponymous Apache chief fought the Union army for 10 years before negotiating a peace treaty in 1872.

As the subject of recent residential development, the desert now bears witness to a more modern cultural conflict. The influx of new homes, most built rapidly and without concern for design, creates a jarring visual incongruity; New England farmhouses disrupt the colors and geometry of the landscape, and Mexican Haciendas invoke a misplaced cultural history.

We sought to satisfy the client’s program for a modest sized home, guest cottage and stable while responding insight-fully to the natural and constructed qualities of the landscape.

The plan frames Stronghold Monument, emphasizing the mountain view, while the compound’s walls block nearby development from sight. The arrangement of buildings forms a secluded enclave with an unmediated relationship to the mountains.

The design is sensitive to its own environmental impact. Passive cooling and sun shading devices minimize energy use, and materials were chosen for their sustainable qualities. Local materials such as adobe brick, hacienda block and weathered steel have the advantage of minimizing construction waste while creating a harmonious visual relationship with the natural surroundings, mimicking the colors of sand and rock formations as well as creating a somewhat rugged quality. In a region with a history of discord, we hope to create a home that is at peace with its natural surroundings.